1. Field
The present invention relates to devices for facilitating the withdrawal of corks and similar stoppers from bottles, and more particularly to those devices which inject pressurized gas into the bottle through the cork to facilitate removal of the cork.
2. State of the Art
Bottle which contain wine, and some other types of liquid beverages in bottles, are traditionally closed and sealed by a cork which is friction fitted into a neck of the bottle. Use of conventional corkscrews for extraction of the cork from the bottle prior to drinking is subject to problems such as incomplete removal of the cork and cork chips falling into the bottle. Likewise, substantial physical effort and dexterity are required on the part of the user of the corkscrew to remove the cork.
In an effort to simplify the opening of corked bottles, cork extractor tools were developed of a type which injects pressurized fluid such as compressed air or carbon dioxide gas into the bottle through a needle which penetrates through the cork. Expansion of the pressurized fluid ejects the cork from the bottle. While this type of cork extractor tool may reduce some of the cork chipping problems, significant physical effort is still required by the user to force the needle through the cork. Likewise, subsequently physical effort is required to pull the extracted cork from the needle. The presence of an exposed sharp needle requires that the device be carefully handled and manipulated so as to avoid injury to the user and other persons.
Bottle stoppers formed of synthetic materials such as plastics having physical properties similar to those of natural cork are sometimes used in place of corks (such synthetic bottle stoppers as well as bottle stoppers made of natural cork material herein referred to as corks unless stated otherwise). Penetrating these synthetic bottle stoppers with the needle may require more effort than penetration of natural cork bottle stoppers. Bottle stoppers formed of synthetic materials may also exhibit more frictional resistance to removal of the bottle stopper from the needle.
Wine bottles and some other bottles such as those which contain sparkling grape juice are often capped with a wrapping of metal foil or another similar material which is adhered to the neck of the bottle. The foil wrapping must be ruptured or removed to enable withdrawal of the cork from the bottle. The end of the cork screw and particularly the pointed needle of the pressurized gas cork extractor are not a very effective tool for this purpose.
There is a need for an improved cork extractor tool which is easy to use, requiring significantly less physical force to extract the cork from the bottle and to strip the extracted cork from the cork extractor tool.
The present invention is a cork extractor tool for withdrawing a cork from the neck of a bottle. A first version of the cork extractor tool utilizes a replaceable pressurized container of the type having a generally cylindrical fluid container which contains a pressurized fluid having a boiling point below room temperature so as to expand upon depressurization. A valve covers an opening in an end portion of the fluid container with an outlet tube which opens the valve when depressed to release pressurized fluid from the pressurized container through the outlet tube. The present invention is also a combination of the first version cork extractor tool described below with the replaceable pressurized container of the type described above.
The first version cork extractor tool includes a tubular sleeve having an annular outer wall adapted to receive at least the end portion of the fluid container therewithin, with a positioning portion which extends from a bottom end of the tubular sleeve adapted for grasping in-hand and coaxially engaging the neck of the bottle above the cork. The pressurized container is longitudinally movable within the tubular sleeve to actuate the valve to release pressurized fluid therefrom. A handle is coaxially disposed about the tubular sleeve, the handle having a longitudinal bore which extends completely through the handle in which the tubular sleeve is closely slidably disposed. A needle carrier is slidably disposed within the tubular sleeve which is operatively connected to the handle for axial and rotational movement therewith within the tubular sleeve. The needle carrier has a longitudinal bore therethrough adapted to receive pressurized fluid from the outlet tube of the pressurized container. A hollow needle extends axially from the needle carrier adapted for axial and rotational movement with the needle carrier, the needle being of sufficient length to penetrate axially through the cork and having a longitudinal passage for transporting the pressurized fluid therethrough. The needle is operatively connected to the needle carrier to receive pressurized fluid therefrom and pass the pressurized fluid through into the bottle. A rotation device operatively interconnects the tubular sleeve and the handle, being adapted to produce relative rotational motion therebetween upon axial translation thereof. When the positioning portion of the tubular sleeve coaxially engages the neck of the bottle above the cork and the handle is forced downwardly toward the cork, the needle is axially driven through the cork with an axial rotation to facilitate penetration. When the pressurized container is subsequently depressed to inject the pressurized fluid into the bottle through the needle, a resulting rise in pressure within the bottle as the pressurized fluid expands to a gas acts to eject the cork from the bottle.
A second version cork extractor tool utilizes a replaceable pressurized container of the type having a generally cylindrical fluid container which contains a pressurized fluid having a boiling point below room temperature so as to expand upon depressurization, and an initially sealed opening in an end portion of the fluid container.
The second version cork extractor tool includes a valve that is operatively associated with the initially sealed opening. The valve is adapted to sealingly receive the end portion of the fluid container and open the initially sealed opening for fluid flow to the valve. The valve opens when depressed to release pressurized fluid from the pressurized container. A tubular sleeve having an annular outer wall is adapted to receive at least the end portion of the fluid container therewithin. The tubular sleeve has a positioning portion extending from a bottom end of the tubular sleeve adapted for grasping in-hand and coaxially engaging the neck of the bottle above the cork. The pressurized container is longitudinally movable within the tubular sleeve to actuate the valve to release pressurized fluid therefrom. A handle is coaxially disposed about the tubular sleeve. The handle has a longitudinal bore that extends completely through the handle in which the tubular sleeve is closely slidably disposed. A needle carrier is slidably disposed within the tubular sleeve, which needle carrier is operatively connected to the handle for axial and rotational movement therewith within the tubular sleeve. The needle carrier has a longitudinal bore therethrough adapted to receive pressurized fluid from the valve. A hollow needle extends axially from the needle carrier and is adapted for axial and rotational movement with the needle carrier. The needle is of sufficient length to penetrate axially through the cork and has a longitudinal passage for transporting the pressurized fluid therethrough. The needle is operatively connected to the needle carrier to receive pressurized fluid therefrom and pass the pressurized fluid through into the bottle. A rotation device operatively interconnects the tubular sleeve and the handle. The rotation device is adapted to produce relative rotational motion between the tubular sleeve and the handle upon axial translation therebetween. When the positioning portion of the tubular sleeve coaxially engages the neck of the bottle above the cork and the handle is forced downwardly toward the cork, the needle is axially driven through the cork with an axial rotation to facilitate penetration. When the pressurized container is subsequently depressed to inject the pressurized fluid into the bottle through the needle, a resulting rise in pressure within the bottle as the pressurized fluid expands to a gas acts to eject the cork from the bottle.